The present invention relates generally to brewed beverage devices, and in particular, to brew baskets for use in brewed beverage devices such as coffee makers.
The portable electric coffee maker has for many years been one of the most popular domestic electric appliances for consumers desiring brewed beverages at home. One type of conventional coffee maker comprises a housing defining a water reservoir and a filter basket support pivotally coupled thereto. The housing includes a platform having a warmer plate which supports a carafe below the filter basket support. A brew or filter basket is removably supported within the filter basket support, and the filter basket support is pivotally moveable relative to the housing about a vertical axis. Mounted within the housing and in fluid communication with the water reservoir is a heater unit. The heater unit receives water from the water reservoir, heats the water, and pumps the water by thermal expansion to the top of the housing for drainage or dispersion into the filter basket. The heated water drains through the coffee grounds within the filter basket and into the carafe therebelow.
Common brew or filter baskets are generally cylindrical in shape and include a frusto-conical inner cavity for receiving a filter. Typically, these common filter baskets include a type of anti-drip valve mechanism which is located at the filter basket outlet opening. The primary object of such anti-drip valves is to prevent coffee from continuing to flow or drip from the filter basket when the carafe is removed from the coffee maker. The anti-drip valve mechanism associated with conventional coffee makers generally operate by means of a spring biased lever arm that holds a stopper seal that is located at one end of the lever arm firmly against the outlet opening of the filter basket. An actuator, pivotally coupled to the coffee maker, is in contact with the other end of the lever arm to pivot the lever arm and stopper seal between two positions. When the carafe is positioned below the filter basket, the actuator engages the lever arm and pivotally displaces the lever arm so that the brewed beverage can drain through the outlet opening of the filter basket and into the carafe. Upon removal of the carafe the lever arm is moved to a position in which the lever arm stopper seal is biased firmly against the filter basket outlet opening.
However, coffee makers, particularly those with anti-drip mechanisms, are susceptible to overflow problems in that the brewing water may reach a level within the filter basket that causes the brewing water to flow over the brewing basket rim. Consumers have discovered that the carafe may be temporarily removed during the brewing cycle and that the anti-drip valve will prevent coffee from continuing to flow from the filter basket. In many instances, removal of the carafe by a user during the brewing cycle is to obtain a cup of coffee without waiting for the complete cycle of the coffee maker. In such instances, with the carafe removed, the anti-drip valve closes during the brewing cycle, causing the brewing water to build up in the filter basket and opens when the carafe is returned to the coffee maker. A problem can occur, however, if the carafe is not returned to the proper location within the coffee maker. When the carafe is not properly aligned within the coffee maker and the actuator does not fully contact the lever arm, the anti-drip valve may not fully open, thereby causing a condition whereby the brewing water accumulates within the filter basket at a faster rate than that at which the brewing water is exiting through the filter basket outlet opening. This results in the brewing water overflowing the filter basket. Hence, the coffee and grounds run down the back and sides of the filter basket support which is unacceptable in modern coffee makers as this situation often leads to consumer dissatisfaction and product returns.
The filter basket can overflow for reasons other than misalignment of the carafe within the housing of the coffee maker. For example, filters used with the filter basket for holding coffee grounds can become clogged, thereby fully or partially restricting the flow of the brewing water out through the filter basket outlet opening. This condition also can cause brewing water overflow, with resulting consumer dissatisfaction and product returns.
Therefore, there is a need to provide coffee makers with an overflow return mechanism that can eliminate the deficiencies of the prior art.
In accordance with the present invention, a brew basket is provided for a brewing machine to address the deficiencies of the prior art. More specifically, a brew basket is provided with a overflow return mechanism for diverting brewing water and returning the brewing water to an associated container if the brewing water overflows the brew basket.
In accordance to an aspect of the present invention, the brewing container comprises a body portion including a bottom wall having an outlet opening that allows the brewing water to flow into an associated container that is located below the brewing container. The brewing container body portion also includes an annular sidewall that extends upwardly from the bottom wall to define a cavity. The cavity receives infusible substrate such as ground coffee and the brewing water. The brew container further comprises an overflow return mechanism operably associated with the body portion. In operation, the overflow return mechanism diverts brewing water and directs the diverted brewing water to the associated container when the brewing water reaches an overflow condition where the brewing water overflows the cavity.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a brewing container is provided that comprises a bottom wall having a drain aperture for allowing brewing water to flow therethrough and into an associated container. An annular sidewall upwardly extends from the bottom wall to define a body portion having a cavity therein. The cavity is capable of receiving an infusible substrate and the brewing water. The brewing container further comprises an overflow return mechanism including a diverting aperture disposed through the sidewall, and a return channel operatively associated with the bottom wall. The diverting aperture diverts the brewing water to the return channel, and the return channel directs the diverted brewing water to the associated container when the brewing water overflows the cavity.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a brewing machine for brewing a quantity of a brewed beverage by directing a flow of heated brewing water an infusible substrate is provided that comprises a housing defining a reservoir. The housing includes a brew basket support and a platform having a warmer plate which supports a beverage receiving container underneath the brew basket support. A heater assembly is disposed within the housing and in communication with the reservoir. The heater assembly is operative to receive the brewing water from the reservoir, heat the brewing water, and distribute the brewing water to a brew basket disposed within the brew basket support. The brew basket includes a bottom wall having a drain opening for allowing the brewing water to flow therethrough and into the beverage receiving container. An annular sidewall that upwardly extends from the bottom wall defines a body portion having a cavity therein. The cavity is capable of receiving the infusible substrate and the brewing water. The brew basket further includes an overflow return mechanism operably associated with the body portion. The overflow return mechanism is operative to divert the brewing water and direct the brewing water to the beverage receiving container when the brewing water overflows the cavity.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a brew basket is provided that comprises an upper cylindrical portion, a conical middle portion, and a cylindrical lower portion, integrally connected to form a body portion. A bottom wall having a drain opening is coupled orthogonally to the body portion at approximately between the middle portion and the lower portion thereby defining an upper cavity and a lower cavity. The upper cavity is operative to receive an infusible substrate and a brewing fluid. The brew basket further comprises an overflow return mechanism that includes a diverting aperture disposed through the upper portion of the body portion. A return channel, which is operably associated with the bottom wall receives the brewing water that has been diverted by the diverting aperture and directs the brewing water to an associated container when the brewing water overflows the cavity.
In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present invention, a brewing container is provided that comprises a bottom wall having a drain opening. The brew basket also comprises an-annular sidewall that upwardly extends from the bottom wall to define a body portion having a cavity therein. The annular sidewall has a diverting aperture disposed in an upper portion thereof. A flow channel is further disposed on an outer surface of the annular sidewall. A lever is mounted to a bottom surface of the bottom wall of the brewing container and has a return channel therein.